The Painters AKA californiapaintingcrew.com/Travis Reid Contracts Unskilled Painters-Fraudulent Company Internet
Contacted this company on Monday to set appointment on Tuesday. Requested 8am start time to allow me to get to work. Informed at that time that payment was due in cash. Upon questioning, was told again, "Yes, we only take cash".
Painter called the next morning at 7:45 and said "so I'll be there about 10am". To which I responded, "you're kidding, right?". No, he had not gotten the time on the work order and let me know that he had a late job the night before. Not sure how this was my problem at all. I agreed to leave work to come meet him at 10 and realized I had a meeting that I had to be in the office for. When I got to work I called the painter back and when he picked up his phone he began screaming at me until I was able to tell him that I was the person he was supposed to paint for that day and I asked him if he could come at 9:30. I felt uneasy about it and then I got a call from the same number and thought he might have needed more information. When I picked up the phone he again began screaming at me thinking I was another customer he had a problem with. At this point when I got off the phone I was completely uncomfortable having this person in my home and when I called to cancel he wasn't happy and wanted to explain why he was yelling at customers. I wasn't interested in knowing the reason.
When I called the company to tell them what happened the girl that answered responded with disbelief and proceeded to tell me that "the owner insists on placing ads in areas that he does not have reliable crews in" and she was sorry. Apparently, whomever overheard what she told me took the phone from her and began to patronize me without knowing what my complaint was. Then I told her the story and I guess our conversation was over because she thought she had hung up the phone and I heard her call me a "f**king b***h".
At this point the owner "Travis" contacted me and began to try and smooth things over. I wish I would have gone with my gut, but I was in a position of needing to get this job done at this point. I allowed him to convince me he would have a great painter come to my house and meet me to begin the work at 11am and for all my trouble he would knock $25 dollars off the job. $25-for being yelled at and called names by his staff?
When I arrived a polite man was at my door. I felt a little better at this point and let him in to do the work. I provided him with paint, primer, painter's tape, joint compound AND rollers. I had already moved all the furniture even though the site promised the painters would do all that for me and cover and tape everything. When I returned I realized that none of the nail holes had been filled, nothing had been taped, and that my furniture was not covered resulting in paint on my sheets and bedroom floor. When I began to ask him about taping off etc...he informed me that "it would take too long". Hmm. Then I began asking more questions and learned that this was a side job for him and that he had only been doing it for 3 months. On top of that he decided that it was appropriate to ask me for hugs, dates, and try to kiss me. Yes, you read that right. At approximately the 7th hour he told me we were running into a problem with time and the job was not done. I said, but you didn't start until 12 and he said but I was here at 11. Not sure why arrival time is equal to start time? I got him to agree to finish if I got him dinner. Among a long list of other problems, there are paint samples showing through and huge holidays on several walls. The job was not done right, but I paid him because he put in the work.
When I contacted the owner to tell him what happened he told me that the painter would be fired. I was not clear how that would help me and he proceeded to tell me that since I paid, that meant I was happy and also that his painter told him I kissed HIM! He told me that they accept other forms of payment, but that I was the "type" of customer they require cash from. The messaging escalated and at one point he sent me a message that said "Nagging b***h go get f**ked and calm down. You should have let my n****r painter f**k you real good!" He also called me a c**t.
Do not give this racist, scumbag, tax evader any more cash. This "company" owner is running an illegal and highly unprofessional operation. I should have went with my gut...
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Whistleblower
Redondo Beach,California,
BS
#4Author of original report
Tue, October 15, 2013
I'm not a competitor...I'm a consumer that got screwed over by a fly by night company and a sociopath scumbag that had been painting for all of 3 months, didn't tape anything off, patch nail holes, or prime. The paint looks like absolute S%&T. An 8 year old would have done a better job. I had to file a restraining order on the painter because he wouldn't stop harassing me...
Painters
Dist of Columbia,The above complaints are obviously by a competitor to slander us.
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, October 15, 2013
The above complaints are obviously by a competitor to slander us.
Just mention you've seen these false reviews online and we will extend a $50 discount to you. Remember you don't pay the balance of the job to our painters until you're happy with the work so we guarantee your satisfaction. This is absolutely a honest day's work for a honest day's pay. Don't let a angry competitor make up a false review online and make you go somewhere else to spend more money. That's eactly what they want you to do so they can get your business!
If your looking to save money on your painting project Please give us a call for a free no obligation phone consultation. (8OO)376-4066 CALL TODAY! PAINT TOMORROW! We work 7 days week.
We offer affordable painting crew for the day rates. Each painter can paint approximately 375 sq feet of production per day. Typically that would be 2-3 rooms per painter on average. We cannot guarantee that type of production but we do guarantee the quality of work will be done professionally. Wall repairs, multiple coats. ceilings, trim and doors take away from the overall production. Regardless whether you hire us or someone else to do your painting it should take the same amount of time and with our lower overhead costs we are able to help you save more money.
Please feel free to compare our prices to others. We do not have the extra overhead costs other companies will have. We receive a high call volume if we had to do an on site evaluation for each person who inquired about a painting project we would certainly have to raise our prices. For instance we do not have to pay estimators salaries, gas costs, parking fees, Maintenance on estimators vehicles, sales commissions to salespeople and the list goes on. If you are receiving other quotes simply ask the salesperson how many painters are needed and how long the job should take and compare their price to ours to see which best suits your needs. No reason to spend more on an overpriced estimate. Rent a painting crew for the day and save!!
We also get substantial paint store savings up to 60% off at Sherwin Williams. Our best discount is on Pro Mar 200 brand paint. Some paint contractors will offer to include the cost of paint in your estimate. These contractors will be making money off purchasing your paint. You should use our discount code to save money on your paint. The paint store salesperson will be happy to give you a color consultation and they are trained to tell you how much paint to buy and which kind of paint would work best for you.
We are a fully insured full service painting company. We can do anything you need done painting related. Our painters are also able to do minor handyman tasks at no additional costs at the crews discretion. It's a honest day's work for a honest day's day pay. If you require an additional day of work we would be happy to get you on the schedule for the following day or another day that works best for you.
We can do any job big or small but we specialize in small jobs. We started our painting crew for the day program after researching that many of our customers weren't getting any return calls from painting contractors willing to commit their labor force that didn't return larger dollar amounts. We focus on small jobs ranging from a couple rooms to a deck that needs to re-stained. Anything that's small that can be done in 1 day. Another way we help homeowners save money is we provide all of our top of the line painting equipment so they don't have to purchase expensive painting equipment that they would not use on a regular basis.
If you are shopping around with other companies please beware of companies with no websites, language barriers, or ones who show up with no company trucks or uniforms these could be potential red flags for fly by night contractors. Also avoid high priced estimates with contractors who may rush to complete the job to maximize profits. If our painters your job early please feel free to find them something else to paint for the remainder of the 8 hour day.
Our prices can't be beat by a reputable painting company! Why pay someone else more? You pay our painters at the end of the day once you are happy with the work so there would be no reason to spend more anywhere else!
DavidNYC
New York,God I wish I read this last week.
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, August 09, 2013
I had this "company" last week in NY. It all makes sense now. Worst paint job EVER. The two guys that came over, I'm pretty sure were homeless. I wish we could catch this Travis character.